5K March to College

On May 7, 2015, Center for Companies That Care will host its fourth annual 5K March to College in Chicago’s Grant Park. The 5K chip-timed race and fun run/walk is dedicated to increasing college graduation rates among minorities and students with disabilities.

"Only 6% of Chicago’s public high school students graduate from college by the age of 25. Unlike their middle-class peers, urban minority students do not grow up surrounded by college-going expectations,” explains Marci Koblenz, President and Founder of Center for Companies That Care. “The March to College establishes this expectation early on and cements a positive association with college attendance. It also presents an opportunity for all Chicagoans to show their support of education and social justice.”

Runners, professionals, families, students and high school track teams will be marching to college together. The 5:30 pm chip-timed 5K race and fun run/walk will be preceded by a 2:00pm college fair and family entertainment, at Upper Hutchinson Field in Chicago’s Grant Park. Proceeds from this event directly benefit Chicagoland’s underserved children through initiatives like AIM High, a more-than-mentoring program which has successfully been sending 100% of participating students to college for six years; and Invisible Differences, an initiative promoting college completion for the growing number of students with neurobehavioral and learning disabilities.